1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to bushing assemblies and more particularly, it relates to a foam sealing bushing for use within a refrigerator door cavity which permits air to escape from the door cavity but yet prevents foam insulation from escaping during the injection of the foam insulation into the door cavity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is generally known in the refrigeration art, a refrigerator door is hingedly mounted upon a refrigerator cabinet for closing the opening to the refrigeration compartment define within the refrigerator cabinet. In accordance with prior art manufacturing techniques, the refrigerator door usually comprises a door cavity which is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Since the door is to be hingedly mounted upon the cabinet, this necessitates that an opening be cut within the door and the foam insulation so as to accommodate a bushing assembly after the insulation was formed in place and allowed to rigidify.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a bushing which can be installed within the refrigerator door cavity prior to the foaming operation so as to eliminate the need for cutting an opening within the foam insulation after it has rigidified. However, during the foaming operation, it has been known that relatively high air pressures are produced. Thus, there has arisen a need for a bushing which can be installed within a refrigerator door cavity prior to the foaming insulation operation and which provides a passageway so as to allow the highly pressurized air to escape from the door cavity but yet still prevents the flow of the foam insulation outwardly therefrom.
A prior art search directed toward the subject matter of this application and conducted in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 2,592,130 4,089,496 3,091,795 4,180,297 3,665,548 4,186,945 3,725,973 4,656,689 3,887,960 4,883,319 ______________________________________
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,130 to George H. Erb et al., issued on Apr. 8, 1952, there is disclosed an insulating fastening device comprised of an outer hollow member and a cooperating inner member. The outer member includes a head portion and a shank portion having latching abutments. The inner member is provided with external abutments for fixed engagement with the latching abutments upon the outer member. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,960 to George R. Sherman issued on June 10, 1975, there is disclosed a shaft bushing comprising a thin washer and a spool-like member having a tubular portion with a flange at one end and a split tapered formation at the other end. The tubular portion has a bore which is adapted to slip closely over the shaft. The tapered formation is adapted to be compressed and snapped through the washer bore so as to provide an interlocking engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,689 to Frank S. Dennis issued on Apr. 14, 1987, teaches a grommet device which is made up of a fastener portion and a seal portion. The fastener portion includes a plurality of projections with locking tabs at the ends. The seal portion has a plurality of openings positioned so as to receive the projections when the grommet device is assembled. The locking tabs engage a wall portion of a wall opening disposed behind the seal portion so as to secure the grommet device in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,319 to Glenn Scott issued on Nov. 28, 1989, teaches a self-locking spacer bushing assembly for use within a hinge for an automotive vehicle seat assembly. The bushing assembly includes a pair of identical interlocking sleeves, each having a pair of opposed tangs extending in an axial direction from an annular portion. Each of the tang portions has a shoulder which is radially outwardly directed and is deflectable. The shoulders upon the tang portions engage corresponding recessed ledges define upon the interior wall of the annular portion of the opposite sleeve so as to snap fit together thereby form an integral bushing assembly through which a hinge pin is passed.
The remaining patents listed above but not specifically discussed are deemed to be of only general interest and are cited to show the state of the art in bushing assemblies and/or grommet devices.
None of the prior art uncovered in the search disclosed a foam sealing bushing formed of a male member and a female member such as those of the present invention for use within a refrigerator door cavity which permits air to escape from the door cavity but yet prevents foam insulation from escaping during the injection of the foam insulation into the door cavity. This is accomplished by the provision of passageways formed between the male member and the female member for permitting air to escape from the door cavity.